As news spread throughout the NFL community that the Chiefs were planning on bringing Eric Bieniemy back as their offensive coordinator, opinions were mixed in Chiefs Kingdom. Fans of the move pointed to how much more productive the offense was during Bieniemy’s first tenure as OC and argue that his intensity and accountability were missed in recent years. Critics of the move point to the belief that KC’s passing game needs some fresh ideas and concepts and question whether Bieniemy is the right guy to fix that.
The truth of the matter is that the passing game will always be Andy Reid’s baby. In fact, the playbook and play-calling in general will always start and end with Reid. However, it is fair to point to the declining production over the past couple of seasons as a concern. The Chiefs do need something more than just a roster or execution upgrade. While Bieniemy, a former running back and longtime running backs coach, may not be the top OC candidate when it comes to refreshing Reid’s passing concepts, that doesn’t mean he can’t greatly help the passing game. He may just take an indirect path to get there.
While Bieniemy may not be an OC who comes in with his own new playbook full of cutting-edge passing concepts, he was just a key part of Ben Johnson’s staff in Chicago. Johnson is viewed as one of the best young play callers in the NFL. Bieniemy should be able to share some things he picked up from Johnson. KC also just added Chad O’Shea as its new wide receivers coach. O’Shea has a long history in different systems, including a long stint in New England during the prime Tom Brady years. So the Chiefs may still be able to add some new ideas to the passing game.
How Eric Bieniemy can really help the Kansas City Chiefs offense
While some fresh passing-game ideas would be valuable, the way Bieniemy can really help the passing game is by taking a lot of the pressure and defensive attention off of it. Over the past couple of seasons, the Chiefs’ rushing attack has been pitiful. While it’s understandable that an Andy Reid–Patrick Mahomes offense would be built around the passing game, KC’s lack of a productive rushing attack allowed opposing defenses to essentially ignore it and put all their effort into stopping Mahomes.
The Chiefs must find a way to make opposing defenses respect the run game. That is where Bieniemy can be a huge asset. Three things need to happen for the run game to turn things around, and Bieniemy can single-handedly provide two of them. The first thing that has to happen is that KC has to upgrade the running back position. That responsibility falls on Brett Veach and the front office to go out and find the Chiefs a clear upgrade at running back, either in the draft or free agency. Maybe that’s drafting a special player like Jeremiyah Love in the first round, or maybe it’s landing someone like Breece Hall in free agency.
However, upgrading the running back position alone won’t be enough. That’s where Bieniemy comes in. The Chiefs need a more physical mindset on offense. They need the mentality that they are going to move the defense off the line of scrimmage and not always be playing on their heels. Bieniemy oozes that mindset. He’ll demand players be physical and impose their will on opposing defenses. The Chiefs’ interior offensive line of Trey Smith, Creed Humphrey, and Kingsley Suamataia has the physical tools to dominate inside; now they just need the mindset and attitude.
The other problem with the Chiefs establishing the run is getting Andy Reid to actually call run plays. As we’ve already established, the offense is Reid’s baby, but he does listen to his players and coaches. While Matt Nagy appeared to go along with Reid on most things, Bieniemy is well known as someone who is willing to push back against anyone and everyone. He won’t hesitate to tell Reid to run the ball if that’s what needs to happen. Reid may not always agree or listen, but he’s bound to put more emphasis on establishing the run if his OC is constantly pounding the table for it (and doubly so if Veach invests premium resources in upgrading the position).
There may still be some fans who would argue that focusing on upgrading the run game is counterproductive when you have Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. After all, every running play is one less play where Mahomes has a chance to do something special. However, this isn’t about turning KC into a run-heavy team. It’s about finding enough of a quality run game that defenses can’t sell out to stop the pass. It’s about giving Mahomes shorter distances to pick up first downs. It’s about forcing linebackers and safeties to hesitate a tick longer to make sure it isn’t a run before dropping into their coverage responsibilities.
That split-second hesitation by a defender can give Mahomes the space or time to deliver the easy completions that have been missing over the past couple of seasons. Lately, every completion has seemed difficult, and while defenses recognizing what KC was doing is part of that problem, not respecting the run was a big part of it too.
Kansas City's lack of a run game has also rendered play-action less effective (when they even bothered to try it). If KC can get back to having a solid rushing attack, they can also start to take advantage of more play action in the offense. If they establish the run with a new, talented running back, they will force safeties to come down—or at least hesitate—on play action, and that leaves more space for Mahomes to take shots downfield.
Andy Reid was never going to throw out his playbook in favor of a brand-new offensive coordinator with his own passing attack, but that doesn’t mean KC is destined to roll out the exact same offense they ran last season with Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator. The area where he is poised to make the biggest impact is also the area where the Chiefs could potentially make massive—and much-needed—improvement. A significantly upgraded run game would do wonders for Patrick Mahomes and the passing attack, and Eric Bieniemy is exactly the right man for that task.